Palo Alto Networks AI Stock Analysis
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Palo Alto Networks (PANW) AI Stock Analysis
Palo Alto Networks
(NASDAQ:PANW)
The score is driven primarily by strong cash-flow generation and an improved, conservatively levered balance sheet, supported by upbeat FY2027 guidance and strong demand indicators from the latest earnings call. Offsetting these positives are weak technical momentum (price below major moving averages with negative MACD) and a very high P/E with no dividend support, plus the notable 2026 profitability/margin step-down that raises near-term earnings-quality risk.
Palo Alto Networks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Gross Profit by SegmentReveals profitability across different business units, highlighting which segments are driving earnings and where there may be opportunities or challenges.
Subscription gross profit is the clear engine—steady, accelerating and increasingly amplified by platform wins and recent acquisitions, which underpins the company’s record ARR, RPO and cash‑flow. Product gross profit has recovered (hardware strength and more software‑driven product revenue) but is lumpier and exposed to supply‑chain/component cost pressure and hardware pricing sensitivity. Management’s upgraded FY26 guidance confirms durable recurring momentum, but watch acquisition-related charges, elevated SBC and hardware margin risk that could keep reported profitability more volatile.
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
- Market Cap
- $273.74B
- Dividend Yield
- ―
- Average Volume (3M)
- 6.05M
- Price to Earnings (P/E)
- 727.1
- Beta (1Y)
- 1.54
- Revenue Growth
- 24.49%
- EPS Growth
- -68.55%
- Country
- US
- Employees
- 21,921
- Sector
- Technology
- Sector Strength
- 61
- Industry
- Software - Infrastructure
Palo Alto Networks Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is a global leader in providing advanced cybersecurity solutions. The company's core product line includes both hardware and software-based firewalls. It also offers Panorama, a sophisticated security management platform desi...
How the Company Makes Money
Palo Alto Networks primarily generates revenue through subscriptions and support, complemented by product (hardware) sales and professional services. Subscriptions and support are the company’s core revenue engine and include (1) recurring software a...
Palo Alto Networks Earnings Call Summary
The call was strongly optimistic, characterized by record financial performance, accelerating platformization, rapid growth in Prisma AIRS, XSIAM, SASE, and observability, successful acquisition integration, and positive fiscal 2027 guidance. The main challenges were lower gross margins, expected cloud hosting-cost growth, persistent hardware commodity costs, the fading impact of a large Chronosphere migration, and the time required for customers to modernize legacy environments. Highlights significantly outweighed the lowlights.
Q4-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Negative Updates
Company Guidance
For fiscal first quarter 27, Palo Alto Networks expects NGS ARR of $9.54 billion to $9.56 billion or 63% growth, RPO of $20.8 billion to $20.9 billion or 34% to 35% growth, revenue of $3.3 billion to $3.31 billion or 33% to 34% growth, fully diluted share count of 37 to 44 million shares, and diluted non GAAP EPS in the range of $0.96 to $0.98 per share; for fiscal year 2027, it expects NGS ARR of $11.075 billion to $11.175 billion or 22% to 23% growth, RPO of $25.2 billion to $25.4 billion or 19% to 20% growth, revenue of $14.1 billion to $14.2 billion or 23% to 24% growth, operating margin of 29.5%, diluted non GAAP EPS in the range of $4.16 to $4.19 per Fully diluted share count of 844 to 847 million shares, and adjusted free cash flow margin of 38%; it expects 60% to 61% of the net new NGS ARR to fall in the second half of FY 27, network and AI security revenue growth of low double digits year over year, Cortex revenue up approximately 30% year over year, and IDERA revenue of approximately $1.5 billion, representing pro form a growth of high teens to 20%. year over year, and it has a target of $20 billion in NGS ARR by fiscal year 2030 and a 40% free cash flow margin target in fiscal 2028.
Palo Alto Networks Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Strong and growing free cash flow (FCF up to ~$4.6B in 2026) and a much improved, conservatively levered balance sheet support durability. The main offset is the sharp 2026 profitability reset (net margin down to ~2.7% from ~12.3% in 2025) alongside decelerating growth, which reduces near-term earnings quality confidence.
Income Statement
58NeutralBalance Sheet
72PositiveCash Flow
84Very Positive| Breakdown | TTM | Jul 2026 | Jul 2025 | Jul 2024 | Jul 2023 | Jul 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 11.48B | 11.48B | 9.22B | 8.03B | 6.89B | 5.50B |
| Gross Profit | 8.08B | 8.08B | 6.77B | 5.97B | 4.98B | 3.78B |
| EBITDA | 1.54B | 1.39B | 1.94B | 1.28B | 869.00M | 95.60M |
| Net Income | 307.00M | 307.00M | 1.13B | 2.58B | 439.70M | -267.00M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 48.46B | 48.46B | 23.58B | 19.99B | 14.50B | 12.25B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 3.07B | 3.07B | 2.90B | 2.58B | 2.39B | 3.63B |
| Total Debt | 2.50B | 2.50B | 338.20M | 1.34B | 2.27B | 3.95B |
| Total Liabilities | 20.97B | 20.97B | 15.75B | 14.82B | 12.75B | 12.04B |
| Stockholders Equity | 27.49B | 27.49B | 7.82B | 5.17B | 1.75B | 210.00M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 4.11B | 4.11B | 3.47B | 3.10B | 2.63B | 1.79B |
| Operating Cash Flow | 4.55B | 4.55B | 3.72B | 3.26B | 2.78B | 1.98B |
| Investing Cash Flow | -3.10B | -3.10B | -2.20B | -1.51B | -2.03B | -933.40M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -1.20B | -1.20B | -778.90M | -1.34B | -1.73B | -806.60M |
Palo Alto Networks Technical Analysis
Price Trends
Market Momentum
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PANW, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 322.66 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 354.28, below the 50-day MA of 367.81, and above the 200-day MA of 275.81, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -13.33 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 41.96 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 22.26 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for PANW.
Palo Alto Networks Risk Analysis
Palo Alto Networks disclosed 51 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Palo Alto Networks reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Latest Risks Added
3 New RisksPalo Alto Networks Peers Comparison
Overall Rating
ZS78Outperform
CRWD77Outperform
CHKP74Outperform
FTNT73Outperform
PANW65Neutral
S65Neutral
Financial Indicators
| Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78Outperform | $31.78B | -496.91 | -2.76% | ― | 25.42% | -47.39% | |
| 77Outperform | $231.16B | 6507.39 | 1.29% | ― | 24.30% | ― | |
| 74Outperform | $14.76B | 17.47 | 31.62% | ― | 2.70% | -10.33% | |
| 73Outperform | $90.79B | 41.32 | 151.52% | ― | 20.23% | 26.26% | |
| 65Neutral | $267.21B | 727.11 | 1.68% | ― | 24.49% | -68.55% | |
| 65Neutral | $8.15B | -23.54 | -23.16% | ― | 21.09% | 23.48% | |
| Sector * | 61Neutral | $37.18B | 12.37 | -10.20% | 1.83% | 8.50% | -7.62% |
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
| Show on chart | Ticker | Company Name | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PANW | Palo Alto Networks | 322.66 | 117.41 | 57.20% | |
| CHKP | Check Point Software | 147.49 | -50.03 | -25.33% | |
| FTNT | Fortinet | 129.54 | 47.23 | 57.38% | |
| ZS | Zscaler | 193.22 | -106.23 | -35.48% | |
| CRWD | Crowdstrike Holdings | 229.87 | 95.48 | 71.05% | |
| S | Sentinelone, Inc. | 22.29 | 5.50 | 32.76% |
Palo Alto Networks Corporate Events
Palo Alto Networks Updates Executive Severance and Governance Policies
NeutralOn August 20, 2026, Palo Alto Networks’ board approved an Executive Change in Control and Severance Policy that formalizes severance, health benefit continuation, and equity-vesting protections for senior leaders, including CEO Nikesh Arora and other...
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.
Date of analysis: Nov 06, 2026
